Construct A Hypothesis Transcription
False Vacuum *A soft breeze brushes by as a party is heard in the distance* PROFESSOR - *mid conversation* Mom? Mom. Listen to me. It’ll be fine. Mr. Pups will get raptured, ok. You really think God would just leave all the puppies? It’ll be fine. VISITOR - *mid conversation* Don’t wait for me, not sure what my plan is. PROFESSOR - No, Mom, No, you don’t need to hold Mr. Pups really tight, he won’t get forgotten. VISITOR - Did you know this hill is a lot steeper than it looks? PROFESSOR - *lying* Yes Mom, I’m in a church right now, just making double sure I’m forgiven, I’ll be fine. VISITOR - You never came up here? You’ve lived at the base of this for like 5 years! Come join me! PROFESSOR - Alight, I love you too Mom. I already talked to Sara, she’ll be happy to hear from you. VISITOR - You are a stick in the mud as always! *laughs* PROFESSOR - Talk to you later. *Phone Beeps* PROFESSOR - *Frustrated with themself* Of course, I did that. *Phone dialing bumber* '' '''VISITOR' - Tomorrow, I am dragging your butt up here. It’s a hell of a view! PROFESSOR - Hey, Bill. VISITOR - Stop being so negative. Nothing is for certain. Well until it is, I guess. But still. PROFESSOR - Yeah, saved you for last. Figured you’d want to gloat. Was hoping it’d have happened already to be honest. VISITOR - Alright, if we’re still here, maybe we can grab some food, the rest of the gang, and do a picnic up here. PROFESSOR - Thanks, I respected your work too. Just wish the universe respected mine a little more. VISITOR - Sounds perfect. Make sure you talk to Marie by the way, she said some sweet things about you before I left. PROFESSOR - I know, go be with your family. Thanks for pickin- *Phone disconnects* VISITOR - Well, that’s it. Cell service is overloaded. They did a good job shoring up the grid for the end. PROFESSOR - Yeah. VISITOR - *beat* So you really believe in this being the Rapture? PROFESSOR - What? VISITOR - When you were talking, I heard you mention it. PROFESSOR - Oh. No. I don’t. My mom does, the idea is letting her calm down. Or at least worry about something other than the stars going out. VISITOR - Ah. *beat* So, you get to say goodbye to everyone? PROFESSOR - Yeah. VISITOR - Not too talkative? PROFESSOR - Look, I came here to- it doesn’t matter. I just want to be scared alone, ok. This isn’t easy for me. VISITOR - For you? It’s the end of the world! Not easy on anyone! PROFESSOR - It’s worse than that. VISITOR - How could it be worse? PROFESSOR - It’s the end of everything. We live in a false vacuum and reality is popping. VISITOR - I heard that on TV. I didn’t understand it very well. PROFESSOR - That’s because all the useful people were trying to find a way out of this. We gave up. VISITOR - Ah. *Rummaging through bag* '' '''VISITOR' - Want any popcorn? PROFESSOR - Are you serious? VISITOR - Come on, what better way to ring in the end! The biggest show of all! PROFESSOR - That what this is to you? VISITOR - What else can it be! Man, lighten up a little. I’m not dumb, I know death is barrelling down at us at the speed of light from the depths of space, but I’m not going to go out frowning, or hungry. PROFESSOR - It’s 99.9% the speed of light. Well, it’s an even smaller gap than that, but we literally don’t have the time for me to count the nine’s. VISITOR - Alright. Just explain it. PROFESSOR - What? VISITOR - You can’t just hint at understanding, then hide behind being mopey. Besides you look like it’d do you good to talk a bit. So let’s do this. I got my popcorn; I’m happy. *Popcorn munching* PROFESSOR - *sigh* Alright, thanks. I really appreciate it to be honest. I’m scared out of my mind right now. *deep breath* So, the universe is this mesh that vibrates. The energy level it vibrates at determines the particles in that space, but even a vacuum has a vibration. VISITOR - So, empty space still has energy? PROFESSOR - Bingo. That base energy level is the problem. See, less energetic states are more stable. So, even though our vacuum has almost no energy, there is a less energetic possibility. VISITOR - Ok, but how does that put out the stars? PROFESSOR - Somewhere out there, this lower vacuum state popped up. It then converts the fabric of the universe next to it to the new, lower energy level, but our physics can’t exist within the new vacuum. As the conversion expands the stars inside it simply cease to exist. Due to some quirks and comparative speeds, it means we are observing the death of the universe in fast forward. VISITOR - Ah. Well that sucks. PROFESSOR - Really, that’s it? VISITOR - Well, what else is there to say? When reality is undone that’s sort of the end of that story. We could try and leave a message to someone else, but how? Write on a rock that will be wiped out, to a nonexistent future? That is if you are right at least. PROFESSOR - If? VISITOR - Always a chance I suppose. I’m not pinning my hopes on anything, but can’t hurt to prepare just in case. I work at the power company, we have a few folks who volunteered to spend time shutting everything off, just before. Seemed irresponsible, to leave everything running, just in case something exists after. PROFESSOR - Waste of time. VISITOR - Better to die working for a hope and prayer, than going out alone and scared on a hill. PROFESSOR - I already said you don’t have to be here. VISITOR - I came up here for you, well the experience of it. I looked out the window saw you climbing the hill and thought I’d join you. My friends are throwing that party down the hill. PROFESSOR - Oh. *beat* Shouldn’t you get back? VISITOR - Naw. It’s really nice up here. *Party sounds are heard from down the hill* PROFESSOR - Just go back to your friends, I’m not sure what you are looking for but it’s not up here. VISITOR - *beat* When I was 8, my parents were killed in a car crash. PROFESSOR - What does- VISITOR - It’s my turn to talk, so keep quiet. I was in the car at the time. The only thing I remember from that crash was seeing a pair of headlights. Then it all went black. I woke up in a hospital and my aunt was in a chair next to me. I looked at her and asked if she’d died too. My whole life, I’ve never shaken that feeling. That I didn’t make it out of that crash. So, I’m not saying I lived my life to its fullest, but I tried to at least make it interesting. PROFESSOR - I’m... I’m really sorry. VISITOR - It’s life, and that’s the point. Every moment could be the one right before the end, and freaking out about it, regretting the unavoidable, fearing the unknown, is unhelpful because at any time, you might look up to a pair of headlights and then that’s that. PROFESSOR - *beat* Would, you mind holding my hand? VISITOR - *chuckles* Of course not. *beat* So, since we’re a thing now. Mind telling me just what drew you up here? No offense, but you don’t seem overly sentimental. PROFESSOR - A theory. My last one I guess. I wanted a spot with a good view. This thing zooming at us, unzipping the universe, could have been pushing some particles ahead of it. So, right before the end, the atmosphere would get bombarded with all these high energy particles, and an aurora would erupt encompassing the entire sky. VISITOR - When would that be happening? PROFESSOR - Honestly? If it were, it would have by now. It’s almost time. VISITOR - *beat* It’s still an amazing view. PROFESSOR - It, really, really is. VISITOR - I’m glad I came up here. PROFESSOR - I am t- *All sounds cut out abruptly*